jewelry – Page 11 – Karla's Cottage

Prolificity

holiday decor, jewelry, magazine pictures or articles, Silver Bella, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / October 8, 2008

Have I mentioned that I work fast? Last night during the debate and the discussion afterward, I made these earrings and bottles.

I’d found some cute little sterling silver crown charms, but they didn’t look as good in person as they did online when I found them. So I soaked them in a patina solution and aged them a bit.

After making so many pairs of crown earrings that I was starting to go cross eyed, I decided to use them for some other things too.

Like this bottle’s necklace.

And what do you think of my bottle toppers? Beth was selling some of this Victorian glass fruit and of course, my mind went directly to using it for stoppers.

It was a bit pricey for this use, but worth it, I think. So much more interesting than a cork!!!

On Monday, before Sugarwings came for her sleep over, I worked on making some more price signs for my Silver Bella booth.

To save time, I am doing simple pricing, with a sign that states the price of an entire species of craft. No individual tagged items, or at least not many.

So, I am trying to have multiples of items to sell. No two will be alike, of course, but lots of things in the same genre.

Wallpaper folders are complicated to make, but I love the results. My Sissy had made a folder for me using a cabinet card as a pattern and I got the idea from that.

But I glue two vintage papers together to make them covered inside and out, and these papers can be fragile to use. Also, I try to make sure they are interesting from all angles.

Including the backs.

Then I fill them up with ephemera, coordinating wallpaper and old book page scraps to match the design of the folder.

While I had ephemera and glue out, I made a few post card Christmas ornaments.

Only 3 so far. If I don’t get more made, I will have to price them individually instead of using a sign!!!

These are some jewel cases that I bought at a flea market earlier this year. The insides are a perfect pink, and one has a rose, the other says Princess!

But the outsides were kind of blah.

To spiff up the exteriors, I added velvet ribbons, rhinestones and old velvet flowers.

If only that would work on me. Seems like the opposite is true with me, the older I get, the less froofy stuff I can wear. Not fair!!!

Not like I would ever have worn this any way. Who could?? I think it was either a Halloween costume or dance recital dress. I hope it wasn’t real clothing….

Being a cheapskate, I was attracted to the the fact that it was only $2 but covered in about $40 worth of sparkly things!

Sparkly things that looked like they would be easy to pick off.

But aren’t.

Sometimes it sucks being a cheapskate. Now I HAVE to pick them all off or I will feel like I wasted my money. All two dollars of it.

The truth behind the photo shoot

give away, housework, jewelry, magazine pictures or articles, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / August 19, 2008

I am busily getting ready for the photo shoot of my master bedroom tomorrow morning. It was a last minute project that came up just a few days ago, and I have had the fairy grand baby for a few days, so I didn’t get a chance to set up till tonight.

I’m making up the bed nicely and sleeping on the couch so I will be ready and not have to rush in the morning!

The truth is, when I have a photo shoot, I do a lot of extras that aren’t involved with every day life.

I certainly don’t get a breakfast in bed tray complete with roses every morning!

The tray is all set up, all I need to do is add a muffin, coffee and juice for the pictures.

I also did a quickie project, and dolled up these lamp shades. That was about 1 minute per shade, all I did was wrap a bit of vintage trim around it and secure the trim with a rhinestone shoe clip.

The three shades each have a different trim on them, I like the non-matchy look.

The window frame had nails sticking out of it from a past curtain style. Those had to be covered before pictures, so I swagged a bit of lace that I usually use as a table runner in the dining room over the nails to hide them.

The biggest change for the shoot was moving out my husband’s comfy chair. He is out of town for now and won’t even know I messed with it, it will be back before he is.

But, in rearranging the chairs, I had a gap in the room, so brought in a stack of picnic baskets from the studio. They are all filled with ephemera for projects, but I’ll write a cute little paragraph about storing extra linens or something like that in a stack of baskets to save space.

We will pretend they are useful, not just filling a gap till they go back where they belong!

Most of the time, the shelf of my mantel piece headboard is bare of junk.

But to foof it up for the pictures, I added a row of old bottles, that simply have some text cut from an old book tied on with pretty ribbon.

Tomorrow morning, I will add a single flower to each bottle.

For now, the flowers are soaking in blue food coloring. I used to do this as a kid, pick Queen Anne’s Lace and place it into colored water. The stems draw up the color and tint the flower.

It was hard to find the pretty weeds, most around here are finished for the season. I drove around until I found a decent patch to pick where I wouldn’t get chewed up by chiggers in the weeds, luckily, these were along a parking lot of an abandoned car dealership. I could snip them from the pavement and not even have to walk out into the tall grass.

A police car turned in the lot and parked behind me, but the officer never got out of the car or said anything to me. I guess it isn’t illegal to pick weeds at a closed business. Although it might be considered trespassing, and it was dark out.

I guess I am about ready for Diane to show up with her camera tomorrow. I’m off to the couch to get some rest. Chasing Sugarwings has worn me to a frazzle. It was fun, as always, but she is a busy bee.

Before I go, I’ll show the apron I added to the August Giveaway, which I will call my "50’s Housewife Kit"

You get a frilly, sheer apron, a pair of pearl pink clip on earrings, and a lovely old brooch with a blue stone, all to wear as you spiff up your home while waiting for Mrs. Dickson to call. (her calling card is included in the kit).

While you are dressed up for cleaning, and down on your knees, make sure you don’t forget to scour the corners of the floor with a scrub brush.

Button Bounty Giveaways and cold feet in July??

antiques/junking, collections, Etsy Goodies, jewelry, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / July 12, 2008

Before taking Sugarwings to a movie this afternoon, I hung out with Beth at an auction for a while. I didn’t buy much, the prices were outrageous for some reason.

I got a $2 shelf to fix up (hopefully as a booth display piece for Silver Bella, I applied to get a vendor spot) and this rug for $10.

The colors of the rug are just right for my pink, brown and ivory kitchen.

But I absolutely fell in love with the hand crocheted trim!

It was rainy and CHILLY?? Wait a minute, what happened to global warming? I haven’t even jumped off my boat into the lake yet this year, the water is too cool for me, which is really odd for July.

Once my sandals got wet, I couldn’t get warm for anything. I tried wrapping my feet in packing materials.

But what really helped was a plastic bag over the packing papers.

Luckily, Beth is a heck of a lot of fun. Or I wouldn’t have spent 5 hours sitting and shivering with my feet wrapped up like some weirdo while all the bidders at the auction were driving prices up too high to buy anything.

Beth always does well at auctions and estate sales. Garage sales are where I find the best stuff.

Before the auction, I went back to Roxanne’s sale, other wise known as the Bling and Button Bargain Blowout from yesterday.

My, my, she has pretty things. A pair of embroidered pillow cases for $2 and more buttons, of course!

She has more jewels to show me, but threw her back out and couldn’t get to them yet.

She let me take a photo of some of her artwork, don’t you love this vintage button bouquet?

This Italian box was 25 cents. Its in good shape, but I bought it to alter a bit.

Right now, it is being used as a display for some giveaway prizes.

I gathered up summertime colors of bright greens and yellows, and added pearls to the mix for my July giveaway.

Vintage buttons, 3 brooches, 3 pair of earrings, a pendant, and pearls, all in cheerful colors and styles for summer.

I got as many excited comments about the buttons in the last post as I did about the jewelry, so I made the giveaway half and half.

Then I wrapped them all up in a pretty yellow hankie that has touches of shiny, metallic gold in a floral motif around the edges.

To that, I added a vintage millinery rose and a clip on crystal earring, and it is all ready to go to its new home.

All my comments for the month count, so leave one as often as you like, I randomly chose one from sometime during the month.

But, hey, that is not all! I decided to join in on Inez’s Christmas in July giveaway too.

Since I bought old greeting cards at the Bling and Button Bargain Blow out, I thought I’d give away a few Christmas ones, along with Red and Green buttons, jingle bells, and some cute red flowers with rhinestone centers from an old sweater clip.

So, every comment you leave this month is entered into TWO drawings, not just one.

I managed to do a little bit of Etsy listing, not much. I seriously need to set aside a day to get things listed to sell, instead of running around having fun, shopping and playing with the fairy grand baby all the time.

People ask me how I manage to do all the things that I do. The truth is, I just have fun and don’t do what I should be doing. That is the secret!

Maybe tomorrow, I’ll get more listed…. or maybe not.

I did finish this tag that I started when I had my blogger’s craft day, Thursday.

It is made with all French ephemera, and topped off with some of the prettiest velvet millinery posies I have, as well as a sweet little earring I got at the garage sale yesterday.

At the bottom, I have a mother of pearl button on a rectangle of old ivory.

If you’d like to buy it, it is $8, and that would save me from having to list it on Etsy, so I won’t charge postage. sold, thanks!

My buttons are selling well, so I’d like to offer a "special" on those. Here are the prices:

$3 plus $1 shipping for one large handful

$5 plus $1 shipping for 2

$7 plus $1.50 shipping for 3

These are for blue, warm browns, blacks, greens, metals, or a mix with white.

Just email me if you’d like some too.

A shiny day and an idea for a giveaway

antiques/junking, collections, Etsy Goodies, give away, jewelry, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / July 11, 2008

Jackpot!

There was an ad in the paper for a garage sale that had vintage hats, and I really wanted to go at 7am when it opened.

But Sugarwings had a sleepover with me last night, and neither of us are exactly morning people. By the time we got up and about and she was ready to go out, it was after 10 and I almost didn’t think it was worth the effort to go that late in the day.

But we made the trip across town, mostly just to get out of the house and see what there was to see. I didn’t expect to find hats.

I was right, there were hats, but no flowered ones, so I wasn’t interested.

But— there was tons of jewels! and buttons! and old greeting cards!!

Did I mention, DIRT CHEAP– AND NICE. Really nice!

By dirt cheap, I mean 25 cents a pair of earrings. And a big, antique apothecary jar of buttons for less than $10, same for the cute little lemonade pitcher full of buttons.

And get this– greeting cards were 10 cents, and the kind hearted, sweet seller had a huge rubber maid tub full of them.

Sugarwings found a cute baby doll, and some old, hand made flannel nighties for the new baby, plus a vintage sun suit for herself, all for $1 each.

While Sugarwings took her afternoon nap, I cleaned and sorted some buttons.

While not all are colors that I will use, I can still see their beauty and hope others will be able to use them. I’ve listed a few packs on Etsy for $3 each

I’m guessing that the Etsy packs are about an ounce or so each. More like an overflowing handful.

If you are interested in old buttons and would like a $3 handful, plus $1.50 postage, you can email me, or check these packs on Etsy.

I can make up more for you in a mix of colors too.

All will be different, but I promise not to just fill your bag with boring, plain ones. That would be mean!

I enjoy having jars of buttons out to look at, and to use for projects, but I certainly seem to have more than a lifetime supply right now.

While sorting buttons, I kept wondering what I missed at the sale today while trying to juggle a 23 month old as I shopped.

So, when I took her home, I stopped back by the glorious garage sale to see what was still left.

And man, there was plenty!

Not only was there a lot more jewelry, the seller brought more out while I was there. No one else was shopping that late in the day, so we got to talking and had a lot in common.

She reads the same magazines and even had a copy of the Somerset Life that I am in right now.

She says there is MORE jewelry that she will bring out, so I am going back tomorrow.

Actually, I have no choice, I have to go back. I forgot my checkbook and she let me take all of this home without paying.

Only in Kansas, huh? Vintage bling for 25 cents a pair, to be paid later.

She is an artist herself, she makes bouquets of button flowers. I wanted to take a photo, but (BAD BLOGGER!), I forgot my camera, and while I was there, someone bought her button creation, so I can’t get a photo tomorrow when I go back.

How pretty is all of this??

And this isn’t all.

I stopped to visit Sugarwings on my way home, (it is hard to be away from her for too long) and I let her and all of her little friends play in the jewels and gave them lots of pieces to keep.

The mommies of the little girls got necklaces, and the girls got vintage earrings to clip onto their pig tails, and little bracelets and pretties for dress up.

We had a great time, playing with the treasure chest of sparklies, those kids were fascinated with it all.

Little Clover was wearing earrings clipped all over her hair and her shirt, while her sister Calliope had made herself a bracelet with broken pieces clipped together with earrings.

(BAD BLOGGER! No camera!!)

I decided that for my July giveaway, I would share the bounty and giveaway some of today’s loot. A handful as a gift to you will only cost me about $2!! What a bargain. I’ll wrap it up in one of the 25 cent vintage hankies I got today too.

Yes, there were linens too! And more cards, I bought another big stack of old greeting cards and was only charged $1 for the stack. Definitely going back tomorrow!! And I will take a photo of what I put together to give to you as a present.

If you like vintage sparklies, please leave a comment on any post. All comments for the entire month are entered.

Where does the day go? Putzing and puttering and then Poof- its over!

antiques/junking, fairies, give away, jewelry, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / May 15, 2008

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that the days are getting shorter. I know, I know, Spring is here and the sunlight is lasting longer, but why don’t the days last long enough for me to ever get caught up?

Could it be that I putz around the antique malls and shops too much? I did that this morning while waiting for Sugarwing’s Daddy to get out of the dentist’s office.

I gave him a ride, mailed my packages, (thanks for your Etsy purchases by the way!! I appreciate it!!), ran some errands, then had a few minutes to kill, and of course, since I heard the siren call of a $7 floral bonnet, I couldn’t resist!

I was glad I popped into the mall, I got two bags of broken bits of vintage goodness for $3 each. Loads of flower power in these jewels.

Then, Sugarwings and her Daddy helped me clean out our boat after it’s long winter of dust and spiders.

After we got it sparkling clean (or as sparkling as it will get after 6 years of wear and tear!), we went for a spin out on the lake. Captain Sugarwings was a fine skipper until she decided that a penny would fit perfectly into the cigarette lighter.

She was right, it fit very well. It also shorted out the whole instrument panel! Luckily, the boat still started, but the lights, stereo, gages, etc are all dead.

At the fairy grand baby’s nap time, I did some yard work. Mostly it was puttering around and enjoying the beautiful day and seeing what was sprouting.

But I did plant a few flats of annuals.

You can tell I certainly didn’t get around to mowing the lawn! The grass is almost knee high, but my son is coming over to mow tomorrow while Sugarwings and I plant more flowers.

I fixed lobster ravioli for lunch today (from Costco, gotta love that place!) and he will always work for food. I think I can get away with feeding him leftovers of the ravioli tomorrow.

Sons are so wonderful, especially when they are hungry and helpful.

There isn’t a lot blooming yet, or many flowers planted, but I love this lush, green time of year before all of the flowers come on.

This is the pathway back to our bon fire pit, and see, we have a big pile of wood ready for the next fires. The evenings are still cool, it is a great time of year to sit by a fire and eat s’mores.

May is my FAVORITE month. I can’t get enough of it.

As a matter of fact, I am feeling so May-ish that I added another present to the May prize pack, a bottle of Bath and Bodyworks orchid lotion.

So we are up to:

1- satin hanger with a fluffy vintage rose

2-white leather Brighton coin purse

3- a tiny dancer

4- a gold band (yes, real gold)

5- a cute pearl pen

6- vintage greeting card

7- lovely lotion

So, leave a comment, any comment, any post all month and I’ll draw a winner June 1st!

Well, I am running out of daylight, just as I complained about. I got no artwork done today. If I wasn’t such a TV addict, I’d do some now, but Thursdays are a big TV night for me, so I have to get my butt parked in front of the set before I miss anything I can’t live without!

I have to be there when Jim asks Pam to marry him. And when McDreamy realizes Rose isn’t for him. (although, I like Rose) And when Luca comes back to Abby. And just HOW do the Oceanic Six get off the island?? This is all much more important than me gluing some paper together!

By the way, do you think that this $1 candle holder is a fairy or an angel? I think she is a bit flirty to be an angel. Her skirt is up pretty high.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

celebrations, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), Etsy Goodies, give away, jewelry

By Karla Nathan / May 6, 2008

Thanks so much for all your birthday well wishes!! I even got cards in the mail from blog readers and friends, how sweet is that???

My pal, Jen, baked this carrot cake and brought it over as a surprise. And by the way, it is even tastier than it looks.

She has a way with baked goods that is not quite human, we think she has some sort of magical powers with butter and sugar. Whenever there is an event of any kind, everyone begs for a "Jen Cake".

The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful for my 50th birthday, and I got to spend the day doing things I love best, working in the garden and flower beds, taking a relaxing nap, playing with Sugarwings, then having a special family dinner topped off by Jen Cake.

Sugarwing’s Daddy slow smoked a prime rib roast all day with cherry and persimmon woods and we had a pot of roasted veggies (including fresh asparagus from my garden) along with it. Luckily I started the first day of my next 50 years by going to the gym in the morning!

My special day was just that, extra special. And the celebration goes on, I have a coffee with friends this week, and a party on Sat. night. Also, my buddy, Beth, is letting me paint her antique mall booth for her (how kind of her).

Actually, we’ll have a fun day hanging out and playing decorator with all of her junk, then meeting up with Amy Barickman of Vintage Workshop about some design ideas.

In the meantime, here are a few necklaces for the winner of my Birthday Giveaway to chose from.

Oops, you want to know who won, don’t you?

Nancy

(Nancy, if you don’t care for a necklace, I can send you a bracelet or earrings instead.)

Thanks to all of you who entered by leaving a comment. All the comments count toward the May Giveaway prize too.

I will be adding to the goodies that go out in May, already there is a white leather Brighton coin purse and a gold band from the flea market in the prize pack. Maybe some millinery flowers?? And more! May is my favorite month of the year and I just have to share my happiness with everyone!! Leave a comment, any post all month to enter.

As soon as I list a couple pieces of jewelry on Etsy, Sugarwings, Twinkle and I are going to go and plant a few more flowers. I have to get outside and enjoy that gorgeous May weather.

50 tiny dancers for 50 years of dancing through life

fairies, flowers, hand painted signs, jewelry

By Karla Nathan / May 4, 2008

Oh no, is Karla going to make us look at 10,000 flowers she just bought??? Is that all this blog is about anymore???

Nope, I won’t do that to you. I just wanted to show you the pretty posies on the top of the birthday present Beth brought to me today.

How perfect is this package for me? Old wallpaper and millinery flowers that are soft and floppy with age topping a hat box!

Even more fun, look inside! Amongst some other trinkets that I love, (Italian rose dish, a vintage millinery catalog, old seam binding, and other pretties) was FIFTY BALLERINAS.

Only Beth would think of something that perfect for my 50th birthday!

She came to help out and keep me company today at Art in the Park.

I can’t imagine a nicer day for it. Sunny, with a slight whispering breeze that was just enough to keep us comfy, not so much that our things blew over or we had to take turns holding onto the tent leg so it wouldn’t blow over.

My greeting cards were my biggest seller today, with Mother’s Day next week, that was to be expected. I also sold china shard jewelry and earrings.

Mostly we spent the day soaking up some springtime. And giggling. Inspired by Joy’s fortune bottles, I decided to decorate bottles as party favors for the birthday party I am throwing for myself. I will add a special fairy note to each one, assigning guests a personal guardian fairy to watch over them.

So, Beth and I spent a big part of the day coming up with helpful fairies and naming them. Here are a few:

“Pinkie Sugar Fly” will guard your windows from bugs flying in through tears in the screens
“Kitty Flitter Flower” watches over you during cat naps to bring you sweet dreams
“Tootsie Twinkle Tulip”is always ready to touch up your toe nail polish before you even know it is chipped.
“Blue Bird Buttercup” sprinkles cookie crumbs for a trail to lead the blue bird of happiness to your door
“May Belle Lina” watches out for smudged mascara under your eyes.
“Flossy Flutterby” picks the spinach out of your teeth before anyone notices it.
“Pearly Pear” keeps an eye out for an earring that is about to slip off your ear.

My pal, Pam sent me this birthday card. I love the sentiment, wouldn’t it be wonderful to be granted 3 wishes? Although, today all I would ask for is that Sugarwings would feel better. My poor fairy grandbaby has a fever and sore throat and I hate to see her sad and down.

Don’t forget, a giveaway will be drawn on the 5th and I have an extra special May giveaway with lots of gifts this month!

The crazy hat lady strikes again

antiques/junking, flowers, jewelry, Silver Bella, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / May 3, 2008

You’ll never guess what I bought at the flea market yesterday.

Millinery flowers! Beth asked me how I was going to display my hats, and I told her "I don’t like hats" and that just struck our funny bones, considering I’d just bought 15 of them!

Honestly, I don’t care for the hats themselves, I only buy them for their blooms.

At first, I didn’t think it was going to be a good hat day, but then, I heard the whispers of them calling to me from a large booth of vintage clothing.

The dealer had just returned from Round Top . Her prices were sky high too, $38 for a flowery bonnet?? Yep, those are big time flea market prices, not Kansas prices!

So, I asked her nicely if she had a volume price. I bought 8 hats including the one previously marked $38 for only $64 total. And I didn’t stop there, I found pairs of hats here and there throughout the market for an average of $2.50 each. Which is why I ended up with a pile of FIFTEEN flowering beauties!

I was worse with old photos. I told Beth that she had to steer me away from any more, it wasn’t funny at that point. I didn’t think I could stop, but she was able to help me and I got through the rest of the day avoiding the photo bargains.

Most pictures were $1 each and when I’d gather an armful of ten or so, the dealer would usually name a price averaging about 50-75 cents each.

Which is how I ended up with THIRTY NINE photos.

Sparkling old jewels were priced about the same as the photos at so many tables we stopped at. Of course, if they were priced higher than that we didn’t stop.

I don’t know how many pieces of rhinestone jewelry I ended up with, but with paired earrings at under $1, I might have bought a couple…..

This photo? A drop in the bucket.

And look at the "Princess" jewel box! It was only $4 and I have plans to foof and jazz it up on the exterior. The inside is lovely just as it is! (the pretty as a picture alarm clock is a birthday gift from Beth- lucky me!)

I bought $1 dolls to fix up too. The bust (Marie?) was only $1 and I might paint it white.

The pink skirted tiny dancer is actually a music box that plays "Always" (the song my parents played at the their wedding). Consider this a "before" photo of her, I have big plans for a transformation to come.

French, German, and other old books were only $1 each

Clear Lucite containers were how much? $1 a piece (wish I’d bought more)

26 Vintage ballerina cake toppers were how much? $1 each

Keys? 2 for $1

Vintage scalloped edge stationery? $1 a box

But of all the things I bought, what is the best? This $4 dotted Swiss dress for Sugarwings.

In the same booth, I found a close match for her baby doll.

I think I’ll ask her to wear them for my birthday party on Monday. (which is my actual birthday, even though I have been celebrating for weeks.)

I’ll draw a name on May 6th for a winner of a birthday gift from me. All comments count towards that and toward my May giveaway, which I think will have to be extra special this month.

In one $5 bag of jewels from the flea market, there was a dainty gold band. I think I will include it with my May prize. Along with the gold band is a white leather Brighton coin purse.

I’ll be adding to the May Prize Pack throughout the month, so stay tuned and keep entering! Any comment, any post.

April’s winner, Clarice had a choice of prizes. She chose a Cottage Collage Kit with vintage wallpaper. She has two daughters that she makes great craft projects with, so I included some extras for them all to have fun with.

Girls Day Out and a birthday giveaway

Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, jewelry, Sugarwings

By Karla Nathan / April 22, 2008

The sun was shining and today was about as springy as a day can be.

Sugarwings and I decided to have a girly day together. We started with a little shopping spree. She picked out glittery pink shoes at Target ( I wish they had them in my size!)

And a stop at the antique mall turned up the perfect grandma hat for me. (only $6!!! And it has FIVE large pink roses on it) Of course, I wore it the rest of the day.

When we saw these matching dresses for toddlers and their dolls on sale for only $10 at TJMaxx, , we had to snap them up and find a dolly to fit the dress.

Those dresses simply couldn’t stay in the bag, not when they went so perfectly with the new shoes! We changed "the girl’s" clothes in the car before going downtown to stroll in the springtime sunlight and show off our new finery.

Since it was Girls Day Out, the three of us treated ourselves to a ladies luncheon. Over our BBQ (hey, we are Midwesterners, not dainty girls- we like MEAT) we tried to come up with a name for the new baby.

"Baby" and "Good Girl" were the names Sugarwings suggested. Scraps_417

I voted for "Miss Daisy" because after our trip, we decided to go for a ride in the little pink car. I drove Miss Sugarwings and Miss Daisy all over the neighborhood.

These two best friends wanted to make a stop in the park for a bit.

Twinkle was jealous of Sugarwing’s new friend and reminded her who her true best friend really was.

How can a day be more perfect than this???? Well it gets even better!

Ryan surprised us and had dinner cooked and ready when we came home from our spring fling! Chicken, rice and ice cream cones topped off our spring fling! And I didn’t have to cook.

Then, once the fairy grand baby went to bed for the night, I was able to make a little more jewelry.

This bracelet and matching earrings are assembled from vintage religious medallions.

The necklace is a variety of chain sizes, beads and aqua rhinestones, with a pendant of old keys.

And is my day over yet? Nope, now I get to go watch a tivo-ed American Idol featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber. (Don’t even ask me how many times I have been to see Phantom, you don’t want to hear me sing the whole thing either).

And not only that, Cloverfield is out on video, so Ryan and I are having a horror movie night. What a perfect way to end a perfect Girls Day Out!

You know, my birthday is just around the corner. I can’t imagine any party I plan being more fun than today!

I’d like to share my special day with you guys and give away a piece of the jewelry I have been making on my 50th birthday, May 5th.

Any comment between now and Monday May 5th goes into the drawing.

And don’t forget that ALL comments this month are entered into my monthly giveaway.

Hmmm, what will I be sending as a present for April??? hmmm, let me think. I have been on an endless tag marathon lately, maybe a tag?

Or a tussie mussie! In time for May Day flowers?!

I know, I will give the winner a choice!

On Wed. April 30th, I’ll draw a winner for a choice of one of these prizes:

1- a pair of earrings

2- a May Day tussie mussie

3- a Birds and Bonnets Vintage Workshop images tag

4- a Cottage Collage Kit with vintage wallpaper and millinery flowers

Vintage Bling- Day Two and the pliers are flying through the pile of scrap

jewelry, swaps, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / April 21, 2008

Spring might actually be here! It hit 70 today and I worked with the studio doors open. I love this time of year before the flies come, when there is a slight breeze to open the house up to have all the winter blahs blown out the doors.

While enjoying the fresh air and listening to Twinkle run in and out of the house to chase bunnies, I worked my way through a desktop of jewels and made quite a bit for "Art in the Park" on May 4th.

Lots of charm bracelets and earrings today, and a one necklace (the cameo one pictured).

Then, the mail lady knocked on my door with an arm load of bundled mail and I was done being productive, it was time to play!

Lili sent a package filled with delight from The Netherlands, for our mini swap. All I sent to her was millinery flowers and a few post cards. She went wild and filled a bag with wonderful European goodies for me!

Look at these book pages, won’t they be fantastic collage backgrounds? and these teeny little aqua bows are so dainty and sweet, they remind me of baby butterflies.

Did I mention Rose Wallpaper?????

Everything, every single thing, was delicious and fun and I can’t wait to dig in and create lots of somethings with it all!

Thanks, Lili!

Cards for Caroline’s 100th birthday arrived in the giant bundle of mail too. Cindy sent this cute as a bug one. I like the way she layers and embellishes, don’t you?

Jessica created this iris card, and I wish you could see the detail in person, this little purple flower should be framed. My mom always called iris "flags." I don’t hear that any more. Its a nice, old fashioned term.

Soon, the swap screens will be coming in too. Of course, they are going to Beth’s house, but I will run over to visit and check them all out. I can’t wait!

You can still join if you hurry. Lots of free download images to use, door prizes (well kind of, I guess that is what you’d call them) and great artists in the swap already!

I’m off to flickr to post photos of the cards. Come by and look if you get a chance. http://www.flickr.com/groups/679216@N25/

Artists have been loading their cards there as they make them too, so I always get a surprise when I go to check out the site, new things are added daily.